Apparatus for fumigating telephone instruments.



PATENTED NOV 26, 1907.

L. I. SHRADER. APPARATUS FOR FUMIGATING TELEPHONE INSTRUMENTS,

lamb? APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 29, 1907.

11W NmAi,

A NORA E1 5 LOUIS I. SHRADER, OF NEW ALBANY, INDIANA.

APPARATUS FOR FUMIGATING TELEPHONE INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1907.

Application liied May 29. 1907. Serial No. 370.357.

T 0 all whom it may unicorn:

Be it known that l, LOUIS I. SHRADER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Albany, in the county of Floyd and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Fumigating Telephone instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in apparatus for fumigating telephone instruments, and its object is to provide an inexpensive and effective means for the application of disinfecting agents to the mouthpiece of a transmitter and the earpiece of a receiver without the necessity of disturbing the working relations of these parts.

The invention consists essentially of a receptacle arranged for the ready insertion of the parts of the telephone instruments subject to contamination, with means for a plying the disinfecting agent and confining t e fumes orvapors given off therefrom so that the telephone instruments shall be effectually subjected to the action of the disinfectant and thus cleansed.

Specifically, the invention comprises a box or case having at one end a means for the introduction of the disinfectant, preferably in a form which may be lighted and so give off fumes fatal to germ. life, while near the other end of the case is provided an opening adapted to receive the mouthpiece of a transmitter after the same has been removed from the body of the instrument and by means of which the case may be fastened to the transmitter head; Adjacent to the opening receiving the mouth )iece of the transmitter is another opening or receiving the ear-end of. a telephone receiver, while a closure is provided which will confine the receiver in place so that both instruments may be subjected to the action of the disinfectant or germicide at the same time and for-as long a time as may be desired.

.The invention will be fully understood from the followirn detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in

fecting receptacle, showing which,-- r

Figure 1 is a section throu h the disintiie telephone instruments in place; and Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the instrument unattached to the telephone. 4, l

' Referring to the drawings, there is shown 'an ordinary telephonie'receiver 1 and an ordinary telephonic transmitter head 2 mounted upon an arm 3 and provided with a removable mouthpiece 4, common to such instruments. The telephonic instruments are of the usual construction and need no further ordetailed description.

The disinfecting apparatus comprises a rectangular box 5 having one end (i of reduced area and having in one of its side walls a through opening 7. The reduced end 6 of the box 5 is shown as having its walls inwardly curved, but the walls may be straight so. that this end is frusto-pyramiilal.

vln the side wall of the casing 5 on the opposite side from the opening 7 and about half way of the height of the casing, considering the portion 6 as the bottom, is a cylindrical through opening 8 which may be provided, if desired, with a head or reinforcement 9, and above this opening 8 islanothcr opening 10 having a rounded bottom or base and extending to the upper edge of the side wall of the casing. The other end of the casing is open and applied thereto is a removable cover 11 arranged to fit snugly over this end and close the same against any material escape of fumes or vapors. Fast to the cover 11 or, if desired, separate therefrom, is a plate- 12 extending down back of thcnrpper extension of the opening 10 and having its bottom formed with a semi-circular recess 13 coacting with the lower rounded portion of the opening. 10 to constitute a circular,

passageway into the interior of the casing 5. The lower or curved portion of the opening 10 may be provided with a semi-circular reinforcement 1-1, as indicated.

Now, bylremoving the cover 11 access may be had to the interior of the casing '5. By unscrewingthc mouthpiece 4 from the transmitter head 2 this mouthpiece may be inserted into the casingiand then through the opening 8, and, if desired, again screwed nto the head 2, so that the entire casing 5 will be supported by the telephone transmitter head with the mouthpiece 4 interior to the casing 5. Since in the practical embodiment of the invention the casing 5 will be made of metal, the reinforcement 9 forms a broad seat upon the mouthpiece 4, preventing the weight of the casing 5 from marring the mouthpiece when resting thereon. The telephone receiverl'will now be placed with its enlarged listening end in the casing by passing the smaller or hand portion through the open end of the slot or opening 10 until the disinfecting agent, preferably suchas will give off disinfecting vapors or fumes on burnor by first lighting the disinfecting agent and then introducing 1t through the opening, the

germicide fumes or vapors rising in the case 5 Wlll be brought into intimate contact with the mouth and ear pieces respectively, and

will thoroughly destroy any germs that may be adherent thereto. The necessary air to support combustion will find its way through the opening 7. The fumigating material may be made to burn for five or ten minutes, which time, considering the small and confined-space to be acted upon, will be suilicient to thoroughly cleanse the telephone instruments. hen the instruments have been acted on for a sullicient length of time the cover 11 may be removed, after which the receiver may be taken out and the mouth piece 'of the transmitter may be unscrewed and the fumigating device may be released and removed from the transmitter.

1 It will thus be seen that there is provided a simple and easily applied device adapted to be attached to telephone instruments without disturbing their operative relation or removing them from the circuit, and by means of which the fumigation of those parts of the instruments liable to microbic contamination is effected without trouble.

' 1. A fumigator for telephone instruments comprising a casing provided with a receptacle for a fumigating agent and also having an opening for the mouth-piece of a telephone ing, and lighting the same, say with a match,

transmitter, the said casing being adapted to be locked to and carried by the transmitter head through the intermediary of said mouth-piece, and said casing also having an opening for embracing the telephone receiver body with the hearing end thereof interior to the casing.

2. A furnigator for telephone instruments comprising a casing, a receptacle for the fumigating agent at one end thereof, said receptacle being provided with an inlet opening, a removable cover at the ,other end thereof, a through passage into the receptacle adapted to receive the mouthpiece of a telephone transmitter, another opening in the receptacle extending to the covered end thereof and adapted to receive the hand por tion of a telephone receiver, and a locking plate carried by the cover and movable into coaction with the telephone receiver opening.

3. Afumigator for telephone instruments comprising a receptacle having an open upper end and a contracted lower end, said casing being provided with an opening for the introduction of a fumigating agent, another opening extending from the upper end downward and having a rounded lower termination, a third opening below the last named opening and arranged to receive the mouthpiece of a telephone transmitter, whereby the casing is supported, and a cover for the open end of the casing having a looking plate for retaining the telephone receiver in the respectiveopening in the casing.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aliixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- LOUIS I. SHRADER.

Witnesses:

hlARY E. RICHARDS IIERBERT P. KENNEY. 

